Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Why?
Students find a new or different major which supports their
interests, values, passion, or personality.
Studentschoose a career that is practical – something that will
pay the bills.
Noone asked the right questions at the initial admissions intake
process.
Studentsmay listen to outside influences on what career they
should go into.
“Typical” Outside Influences Used to
Choose a Career
Knowing about yourself is the basis of career decision-making. What are your
interests, skills, and values? What is important to you about your work? What are
your personal traits and characteristics? Ask yourself:
Learning about the careers, types of jobs, educational requirements, and job
functions are important in understanding the careers that fit your interests and
goals. You may ask yourself:
Take what you have learned about yourself and piece it together with the reality
of the world of work. Begin to evaluate career options that are practical for you.
Use decision-making and action planning skills to identify successful career and
life plans. Some important questions include:
While in college:
Clarify short and long term goals
Fewer transfers and switching of major
Graduate on time
More motivated and goal focused
Higher academic achievement
After Graduation:
Better entry job with higher income
More satisfied with chosen career field
Less career change and faster career advancement
The consequences of NOT planning are
costly…
Absence of Career Planning is a major cause of:
Switching majors
The feeling of being trapped in a major
College transfer
Dropout
Extended year(s) in school
Run out of Financial Aid
So… what is the answer?
What kind of Questions do you ask
to determine if a student needs
assistance in deciding on a major?
Open-ended questions
Closed-ended questions
So… if we know what kind of
Questions to ask and the student is
unsure or undecided about a
career/major then what to do?
Refer student for Career Planning
Career Planning…Personality, Interest,
& Values Assessments
Knowing yourself sets the stage for choosing
careers that are right for you. It makes
sense to choose a career that fits your
personality strengths, values, interests, and
skills.
There are many Personality and Interest
Assessments…
TypeFocus
MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator)
SDS (Self-Directed Search)
My Next Move O*NET Interests Profiler
Career Strengths Test
StrengthsQuest
Holland’s Personality
Holland’s Six Personality Types
Holland’s Six Personality Types
In our culture most people are stronger in one personality type than
another.
All professions may require to some degree, all personality types.
People who work in a profession and environment that fits their
“personality” tend to be successful and satisfied.
Theory of John Holland
John Holland, a psychologist who was drafted by the
army in WW2, developed a classification system for
jobs in the military based upon his theory describing
six work environments and six vocational
personalities.
Holland believed that career choice is an extension
of a person's personality. People express themselves,
their interests and values through their work
choices and experience.
Holland assigns both people and work environments
into specific types or themes.
What is your Holland’s
personality type?
Activity:
Walk around the room, read each poster,
decide which Type best represents YOU and
stand by that poster. Label this Type as
your 1st Choice on your worksheet.
Discussion:
Why did you pick this type?
Activity:
Move to your second favorite Type and write it on the
worksheet as your 2nd choice.
Discussion:
Why did you choose this type?
Finally…
Move to your next choice and write it on the
worksheet as your 3rd choice.
What is YOUR Holland Code?
RIS CSI
RCE CSE
RIC CES
RCI AES
REC AER
RIE ASC
CRS ESA
CIE ESC
CSR ECR
IRE ESR
IRC ISE
IRS SIR
SRI SAE
SRC SEC
SAI SCE
How do you think the Hollands Personality
codes relate to college majors?
People who choose a career or major that matches or is similar to
their personality or interest type are more likely to be successful
and satisfied.
In fact…
The Holland personality types are strong predictors of the majors students choose,
and the impact of this choice lasts far beyond student learning and success in
college -- job stability, salaries earned, job satisfaction, and career opportunities.
The more students choose a college major compatible with their “Holland
personality type”, the more likely they are to:
Earn higher grades,
Persist in their choice of major,
Graduate on time, and
Be more satisfied and successful in their career
AND…
Assessments using Holland Personality Types provide information on the relationship
between job personalities and key characteristics, college majors, hobbies, abilities,
and related careers.
Reference: John Holland (1985) Making Vocational Choices (2nd ed.) Odessa, FL.: Psychological
Assessment Resources, Inc.
Help our students take charge.
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Thank you!
Dr. Brenda Edwards
Piedmont Technical College
864-941-8750
edwards.b@ptc.edu